Michael R. Smith, MTD, President of AdventureSmith, Inc.

Mike completed his undergraduate degree in Wilderness Leadership at Prescott College in 1998 and his Master of Training and Development at Oakland University in 2004. His field experience includes six years as an instructor at the Pacific Crest Outward Bound School (now Outward Bound Wilderness) and fourteen years as a high ropes challenge course facilitator and trainer for S.T.E.P.S., Inc., and five years as a business development and marketing consultant to canopy tours and adventure parks.

Mike is in charge of day-to-day operations, but still finds time to get in to the field.  In addition to his work as a consultant, Mike is also passionately pursuing his goal of developing and operating a brand of canopy tours nationwide.  Keep an eye out for his newest enterprise, ArborTrek, coming soon to a state near you.

Mike authored and self-published A Climber's Guide to Prescott Arizona, A Facilitator's Guide to Adventure Challenge Programming, and A Guide's Guide to Canopy Tours. Mike's interests include mountaineering, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and web design.

A sometime teacher of college English, scholarly editor, writer of technical publications, and wilderness instructor, David founded S.T.E.P.S., Inc., in 1990. His undergraduate study in English literature was at Haverford College, Connecticut and he received his Masters degree from the University of Michigan in English language and literature. David has spent the past twenty-one summers as the Asst. Director for Wilderness Tripping for White Pine Village (formerly Silverman Village), a non-sectarian residential summer camp for boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 15 who require a highly structured and emotionally supportive environment.

Rhonda Sandweiss, B.A., Challenge Course Manager and Senior Trainer.

Rhonda has been with S.T.E.P.S., Inc., since 1994 and currently oversees staffing and staff development. Her undergraduate studies were in education at Eastern Michigan University and led to a teaching certificate. After spending time in the classroom, Rhonda followed her heart to the outdoors where she felt she could make a more significant impact. Rhonda is a member of the AEE, ACCT, and Access Fund. During the summer she has served as the director of several backcountry programs including Tamarack Camps and Wooden Acres. She enjoys indoor and outdoor rock climbing in her spare time, and has competed at the national level.